A projectile equipped with an optical proximity sensor is known from DE Pat. No. 23 50 345. The sensor described therein includes a laser transmitter which emits light in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of the projectile and a laser receiver which is oriented with a base perpendicular to the direction of emission and which has an optical axis inclined with respect to the optical axis of the laser transmitter. The receiver is composed of two detectors that become effective for different ranges of distance so that a target that moves past the sensor can be measured in defined steps of distance. However, as this sensor is oriented transversely with respect to the direction of flight, it becomes impossible to use it either for a forward measurement or for the determination of very small distances from the target (and these are the very distances within which a projectile should be detonated for maximum effect), as this latter measurement requires high precision.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,951,181 and 3,278,846 describe devices that operate according to the sampling principle. Similar devices or methods using electronic gate circuits are include in DE Pat. No. 1,266,346 and DL Pat. No. 28,819. According to DE Pat. No. 2,827,856 a laser range finder that operates on the principle of pulse propagation time measurement sets distance gates to make a qualitative determination of possible deposition of a first projectile equipped with an illuminating device and, thereafter, to make a corresponding correction of the direction of a second shot.